The handling of cancer-linked chemical contamination in waterways and drinking supplies by bureaucrats “defies logic”, an expert says.
Dubbed “forever chemicals” because of their long life, the PFAS group of chemicals accumulate in water, soil and living organisms and have been linked to cancer, immune suppression and developmental issues.
Their discovery in substantial quantities in raw water supplies west of Sydney in June sparked community concern and widening testing across major catchments.
But water scientist Ian Wright is expected to unleash on the NSW government at an inquiry into PFAS contamination beginning on Friday.
“The human health hazards posed by PFAS in drinking waters have been well known for at least two decades,” the Western Sydney University academic said in his submission to the inquiry.
“It defies logic (regulators) have been reluctant to comprehensively monitor PFAS.”
Dr Wright pointed to Sydney Water’s claim in June there were no known PFAS hotspots in drinking water, which he argued lacked “rigorous data to substantiate their claim”.
Testing by fellow authority Water NSW found contamination in the Blue Mountains’ Medlow Dam exceeding Australian guidelines by 50 times, which Dr Wright claims “took very little effort to locate”.
The dam was later disconnected from lower catchments that feed into the area’s drinking water filtration plant.
The mobile system capable of filtering out most PFAS is expected to be installed on the plant by the end of December.
Dr Wright said Sydney Water should provide “alternative drinking water supply” to communities exposed to PFAS, such as those in the Blue Mountains, and “offer to pay for PFAS blood testing”.
Further expert submissions suggest the issue is more pervasive than previously thought, with University of NSW professor Denis O’Carroll highlighting results from his studies showing PFAS was likely to be found in drinking water, even when there is no suspected source.
In their submissions, experts call for expanding testing, clearer reporting and funding advanced treatment technologies.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority submission defends the government’s handling of the issue, pointing to their continued testing of waterways and banning of PFAS products.
The inquiry will examine opportunities to align NSW’s PFAS management with global best practices.
PFAS, or per- and plufluoroalkyl substances are a group of more than 14,000 synthetic chemicals, used since the 1950s in products like firefighting foams, non-stick cookware and water-resistant materials.
Source: AAP
